


Small Talk

by nanaprincess91



Series: Island Bonds [3]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-11-27 11:27:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18193988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanaprincess91/pseuds/nanaprincess91
Summary: Kairi isn't sure why she's drawn to the island that morning, but she's right where she needs to be. A small Sokai story set between KHII and KHDDD.





	Small Talk

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really upset we don't get too many moments in KH where Sora and Kairi's relationship is really developed so I decided to write some for one of my first OTP's. I just love the idea of Kairi knowing what to say and do to comfort Sora when he isn't even sure what's up.  
> I hope you enjoy!

The sun was still hiding when Kairi tiptoed out of her house. She didn't know what it was, but one second she was asleep, and the next, she was blinking back sleep. She had the sudden urge to go to the island where their friends had spent so much of their time growing up. It felt like the right thing to do. She had changed into shorts, a white tank top, and a light cardigan, tying her hair back and, out of habit, grabbed her crystal charm necklace before sneaking out of the room. Her family's house stood near the end of a little road, lights off. She grabbed her bike from the back porch, turning on her small light on its handlebars, before racing down the path.

The dock was full of boats of all sizes. Some of the fishermen’s larger ones were already gone, starting their catches early to sell at market here and on surrounding islands. She untangled her boat and started rowing, a little lantern tied to its edge to light her way. Maybe it wasn’t the brightest idea to be rowing her boat, alone, at night, without telling anyone where she was. Maybe.

_ More than maybe. _

Her family and friends would be worried if she fell in and disappeared. But she had no doubt she’d be okay. She just knew. And she’d be careful anyway.

Kairi continued rowing towards the dark mass that made up their secret place until finally, she noticed the dock coming into view. But the dock wasn’t empty like she thought. Another small boat sat there, tied to one of the poles, bobbing gently with the waves.

Kairi jumped onto the dock, tying her own boat before checking its neighbor. It looked familiar, and if she was right-

_ Aha! I knew it. _

Sure enough, her fingers found the grooves of a small, carved crown. 

Kairi smiled to herself and hopped back onto the pier, walking along the water’s edge. Her heart gently guided her towards the other end of the island, opposite to the paopu tree she, Riku, and Sora always watched the sunset. Kairi removed her sandals and let her toes bury in the sand as she walked. The sky was turning a lighter shade of navy, sunrise approaching. She was almost at the rocks that looked out towards the town. As she approached, she spotted a familiar silhouette seated on the rocks looking out, spiky hair lightly moving in the wind.

She crept up, keeping her footsteps light, but she should’ve noticed the way his shoulders tensed.

“Who’s there?” He said, jumping to his feet on the sand, a keyblade materializing in a flurry of light, illuminating his face.

“Hi Sora,” she said, unaffected by the weapon pointed towards her.

“Kairi!” Sora yelled out with a slight panic. The blade immediately disappeared again, but not before Kairi saw the slightly fearful look in his eyes. “Don’t sneak up on me like that! What if I had hurt you?”

Kairi wrinkled her nose in amusement. “You’d never hurt me, Sora.” She moved past him and clambered onto the larger stone where he had been sitting. “Mind if I join?”

She couldn’t see his face, didn’t see if he was happy or nervous, but he didn’t hesitate, climbing up beside her, taking up residence on the plenty of space left.

“What are you doing here, Kairi?” Sora asked quietly.

She could feel his gaze on her and she side-eyed him, meeting his gaze with a slight smile. He turned away quickly, bringing both his hands between his legs and kicking the air absentmindedly. 

Kairi giggled to herself. “Are you always so nervous?”

“I-I’m not nervous,” Sora stammered. “I’m serious though. What are you doing here?”

Kairi pursed her lips. “You don’t own the island, Sora. I wanted to come here.” She paused and turned to him. “It felt like the right place to be. What about you?”

Sora was silent, looking out at the town.

A minute of silence passed by and Kairi could feel her impatience building. The silence felt purposeful, like Sora was hoping she'd fill it, like she'd let it slide, but her heart told her he needed to tell her. And she was really tired of waiting like she always had been forced to do. Kairi reached over and gently poked his side with a slender finger.

Sora let out a sound between a yelp and a giggle. “K-Kairi!”

“You didn’t answer.” She poked him again and this time he let out a stifled laugh.

“I’m not- haha!- gonna tell you- Ah!- if you don’t stop.”

Kairi stopped, grinning at Sora.

He caught his breath, still chuckling under his breath before shaking his head. He looked up at her and smiled. “You haven’t changed a bit, Kairi.”

“Neither have-” Her voice trailed off as she looked him over. She tilted her head at him, taking him in. 

Sora had grown into his spiky hair; he had always kept it kind of wild even as kids, and it was even more untamed than before but now, it suited him.  He wore an outfit she had seen the people of Destiny Island wear dozens of times, a dark tank top and black shorts, his flip-flops left on the beach next to hers, leaving him barefoot. But he looked so bizarre in those everyday clothes after seeing him in his magical ones for so long. And without the sleeves of his usual jacket and his gloves, she could see the scars that littered his skin in the dim light. His arms weren't ridiculously buff, not like Riku seemed nowadays, but she could see the muscles he had built after years of fighting heartless and exploring. After their island had been destroyed when they were 14, and after his adventures, and the missing year, and the months he spent looking for her- the weeks she spent imprisoned by Organization XIII- well, Sora was approaching his 16th birthday. His innocence may have been the same, the same grin, but Sora was a young man now. And the way he carried himself was no longer the way a boy looking for the next adventure (post-nap of course) would look, but instead his blue eyes shifted around them, alert, cautious. Not just a young man exactly. A warrior. 

A hero.

Sora just waited, looking back at her with a slightly furrowed expression.

“Kairi-”

“You have changed,” she finally said. Her face softened. “I said don’t ever change and you have…”

His shoulders drooped slightly, suddenly looking more like he did at 10 when he first lost to Tidus and Wakka at their games.

“No, but that’s okay!” she said touching his arm gently, just enough to catch his attention before dropping her hand. “That’s not bad.” Kairi smiled at him. “You’re still the same in all the ways that matter.” She rested her hand on her chest, over her heart. “In the most important way.” She looked up at him. “But you’re also more sure of yourself.”

Sora looked at her for a few seconds before chuckling softly. “You’re too nice, Kairi.” He settled back down on the rock looking out. “I...I came out here because I couldn’t sleep.”

This time, Kairi waited. Sora seemed to be mulling over his words, choosing them carefully for once.

“I got used to sleeping for a few hours in shifts with Donald and Goofy or on the gummi ship.” He sighed. “It’s so..quiet.”

“Is that bad?” Kairi asked in a whisper.

Sora shook his head. “No. Or…” He looked off thoughtfully to the sky, stretching his arms, “I don’t know.You’re right. I’ve changed. I keep ….waiting.”

“For?”

Sora chuckled, lowering his hands again to between his legs, and glanced sideways at her. “Something to attack?”

Kairi giggled. “That would explain how you were ready to skewer me.”

Even in the dim dawn light, she could tell Sora’s face paled. “I’m sorry.”

Kairi shook her head and nudged him, her bare shoulder touching his briefly. “Stop that. It makes sense. You’ve been fighting for almost two years.”

She heard Sora swallow, felt him fidget.

“It makes sense that you can’t sleep now that you’re not in danger.”

Sora sighed, rubbing his shoulder and looking away. “You always could see things clearly.”

“Clearer than you,” she teased, before her tone turned more serious. “It’s okay, Sora. It’s okay if it’s taking some time to get used to.”

“It shouldn’t. I’m home with my mom and she's making me pineapple pork and plantains and all the mochi I want-”

“But you’re still waiting for something to come back and dash it all.”

"Maybe...I don't know," Sora said quietly, hunching his shoulders.

"I think-" she paused before straightening her shoulders, "No. I know you'll figure it out."

“How do you know?” he said, sounding more lost than she had ever heard him.

Kairi looked up at him, feeling the urge to push his hair back, but instead she reached into her pocket and pulled her lucky charm out, holding it between them. Sora’s eyes followed its movement, enraptured. His fingers reached up and grazed its edges.

“You always find a way to make it work. And if you can’t, then we help you. That’s how it’s always been.” She met his blue eyes with hers and smiled. “You don’t have to face it all alone, Sora. We were there before, we’re here now, and we’ll be here tomorrow. We’ll make the future brighter.” 

“A brighter future?” he asked.

Kairi pointed out towards the town where the sun was starting to illuminate the sky in pinks and blues. Sora followed her finger and let out a small gasp. Maybe he had forgotten the sight of their sunrises after all the sunsets they watched- And the fact Sora had almost always slept in well past sunrise.  The town was really a sight to behold with its little thatched roofs and dim lantern lights, the waves lapping at the shore with little fishermen’s boats scattered in the water, catching fish. The first toll of the town bell was ringing as the rays of the sun peeked over the green mountain range behind it, lush with rainforests and rivers, and a dormant volcano. It looked unreal, like a painting breaking out of its frame.

But Kairi turned to look at the other wonder beside her. Sora’s eyes were wide as he took in his hometown, tracing the streets, lingering on his house and Riku’s and hers. His mouth was open in a small “Oh” and he slowly brought out his hands from between his knees where he had been hiding them to rest them beside him, leaning forward, almost as if he could fall into the town itself. His hair danced with the wind and the sunlight bounced in his eyes. He was beautiful. 

Kairi smiled. He deserved this moment of peace.

And then he turned back to her, smiling brighter than the sun. “Looks like tomorrow’s already here.”

“Yeah.” Kairi returned the gesture.

Sora let out a loud yawn and rubbed his eye with a fist, “You know...It’s still early.”

Kairi found herself mimicking the motion unconsciously. “Hm, I guess it is.”

He helped her down from the rock as they made their way back towards the other side of the island. They set an easy pace, side by side, their feet dragging in the sand. Kairi could feel the weight of exhaustion suddenly hit her. She wanted to rest in her bed for a few more hours, to curl up on top of her sheets, protected from the sun.

“I could use a nap,” Sora said with another yawn.

“Lazy bum,” she teased. But she also yawned loudly, fighting sleep. “Stoooop,” she whined, “You’re contagious.”

Sora laughed, but it was raspy. He pointed to the shack on the island and she followed him there, under the shade of the little roof, still outside.

“Just five minutes.” Sora said, sitting down on the ground. “My mom’ll kill me if I got back to the islands just to drown by falling asleep while rowing back.”

Kairi giggled, sitting down beside him, but soon she was curling up on the sand, her head resting on her arm. 

“I can see it now: ‘Local boy forgets the first rule of living on an island.'” She nuzzled into the crook of her arm, “Fine. But just five minutes. I’ll make sure to keep count.”

Sora smirked and laid down too, hands behind his head, looking up at the roof. “Yeah? How? You’re falling asleep.” His voice was also soft and fading.

“So are you.” Kairi opened her eyes and looked over. Sora’s eyes were closed as he hummed a small agreement. But it was a short one. The shadow of the awning protected them from the slowly riding sun and heat.

“Thanks, Kairi.” Sora murmured groggily. “I’m glad you came.” 

And then he was fast asleep, small snores, a peaceful look on his face, just another sleeping, island boy enjoying a summer morning nap.

“You’re the one who called me, you bum,” Kairi whispered affectionately, hand pressed to her heart. She let her eyes flutter closed and a smile settled on her lips as sleep claimed her as well.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, please leave a comment and kudos it! Thank you :)


End file.
